Do you store your RV at home?

[Pugapooh]

Yes.  I can't imagine paying storage fees-I think it would be a deal breaker.  Not that an RV makes any financial sense whatsoever.  It just fits on one side of the paved driveway-I don't think we could squeeze another foot in.

We had some mice last year.  Haven't had a chance to check yet this year.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I hate to always end up saying "it depends", but the type of soil and the drainage have a tremendous effect. Sandy soil or gravel that drains well is rarely a problem, though sand can be loose rather than well-packed. Gravel is a good choice for drainage, but you may need anywhere from a few inches to 6-8" depending on what is underneath.  Gravel that simply gets churned into the subsoil doesn't help much unless you build up enough to be more gravel than soil.  Clay or clay/loam mix soil is terrible - it retains water and turns into mud.

I found that making wheel parking pads of 4x8x16" solid concrete blocks worked very well on soft soil. They are strong enough to handle weight without cracking (as long as no gaps underneath). I suppose you could make a drive path for the wheels as well.

 

[KandT]

I hate to always end up saying "it depends", but the type of soil and the drainage have a tremendous effect. Sandy soil or gravel that drains well is rarely a problem, though sand can be loose rather than well-packed. Gravel is a good choice for drainage, but you may need anywhere from a few inches to 6-8" depending on what is underneath.  Gravel that simply gets churned into the subsoil doesn't help much unless you build up enough to be more gravel than soil.  Clay or clay/loam mix soil is terrible - it retains water and turns into mud.

I found that making wheel parking pads of 4x8x16" solid concrete blocks worked very well on soft soil. They are strong enough to handle weight without cracking (as long as no gaps underneath). I suppose you could make a drive path for the wheels as well.

So as always Gary is right.  We stored our in lot that looked dry but when you scraped away some of the stone they had dumped over top of the clay you realized you were really standing over a puddle.  The top of the stone would be dry but it was just on top of a puddle that could never escape.

 

[smanx]

I used to park the motorhome on the grass, but then my lousy neighbor complained to the city that I had it parked in the backyard. Guess my city does not want any motor vehicles parked on grass because of possible oil leaks. I was even told that my flatbed trailer needs to be on a slab. Why, it has no motor oil to leak. They did not care. So I needed to pour a slab big enough for the 24 foot motorhome, the 16 foot trailer, and the 21 foot boat. I wasn't happy, but do like the slab now. I do still need to drive over the grass to park it all, but not a big problem.

 

[HueyPilotVN]

    malexander,  Consider going 16? high on side walls and a 14? tall door..... going up a couple of more feet is relatively inexpensive. Our 5er may be taller than your motorhome, but, there is no way we could get thru a door less than 14? tall, and we?re close on that. With a roll-up door, when all the way up does not give you the full 14? of opening!  Your maximum door height on a 14 foot sidewall, will likely be less than 13?.....unless you go with a sliding door!  Also, again meddling in your business....a few feet wider would be advised. While doable, 16? wide is a little tight with slides open! Just my 2 cents worth!  Good Luck with your enclosure!

I agree and I would also add that if you make it closer to 20 feet wide you can get around it much better and have the option of using a roll around scaffold to wax it or maybe a workshop on wheels along one wall to make your garage much more productive.

You will also have more room to open your slideouts.

 

[D-n-R]

We put up a 42X35 Morton bld with a 12'X14' commercial door and double garage door, concreted with a walk in on our property.  Our problem is that living in the Black Hills we have a neighbor hook onto the back of the 5th with his truck and blade as we make our way down the hill we live on to slow us down and or stop a slide when we get snow early and have to leave with snow on the road.

With all the indoor or just storage places now I do not know that I would do that again with the expense although it is nice to load and unload but wonder how wise it was at the cost vs a storage price off site.

Another problem is the storage above the vehicle portion.  Need to decrease crap rather than just find another place to move it!!!!!!!  Of that age downsizing should begin!!!!!!!  Waiting for the motivation to begin!!

 

[ClickHill]

We have on my property a 4000 sf, steel frame barn with rubber floors. The rubber floors came from a rubber belt from a rock quarry that snapped.
There is no heat because it was previously my horse barn, but it does have electric, 30 amp, and water in the barn.
We am very lucky.

 

[Memtb]

  ClickHill, You are lucky indeed. A rubber floor would be quite the deal. And an easy clean-up of any RV waste! 

 

[malexander]

    malexander,  Consider going 16? high on side walls and a 14? tall door..... going up a couple of more feet is relatively inexpensive. Our 5er may be taller than your motorhome, but, there is no way we could get thru a door less than 14? tall, and we?re close on that. With a roll-up door, when all the way up does not give you the full 14? of opening!  Your maximum door height on a 14 foot sidewall, will likely be less than 13?.....unless you go with a sliding door!  Also, again meddling in your business....a few feet wider would be advised. While doable, 16? wide is a little tight with slides open! Just my 2 cents worth!  Good Luck with your enclosure!

I agree totally. My hangar door is 12' tall, it's about 3" too short to get the MH inside it. I haven't tried it by letting the air out of the bags. I'll have to "explore" the width option. I think I have room for 20' wide.

 

[Memtb]

  malexander, you will never regret going larger.....only smaller! 

 

[malexander]

  malexander, you will never regret going larger.....only smaller! 

Yeah, I know. Figure what size you NEED, then at least, double it. ;D

 

[grashley]

I park in the grass. Last year I was in and out about 8 times and no trouble even though we had record rain. I was going away for Easter weekend and got stuck 6" deep in the grass. I had to cancel the trip and it took me two nights of work to jack it up and fill in enough stone to move it into the driveway. Now planning on a stone parking area.

What part of the country are you in??
I had the same issue getting stuck.  I called CoachNet and we were on the road two hours later.  Parked on a different spot when we came home.

Broke Boater
Thanks for great advise!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

A concrete pad is a godsend if you have to slide underneath to do some work. Can even use a creeper.  But sand is nice if you spill something (it absorbs everything!) and is still easy to brush off clothing. A lot cheaper than concrete too. Especially concrete capable of handling 3000+ lbs/sqft without cracking.

 

[malexander]

A concrete pad is a godsend if you have to slide underneath to do some work. Can even use a creeper.  But sand is nice if you spill something (it absorbs everything!) and is still easy to brush off clothing. A lot cheaper than concrete too. Especially concrete capable of handling 3000+ lbs/sqft without cracking.

I found cardboard works well on concrete too. It provides a little padding, plus you can sort of slide around on it.